Vin Brulè

Now, Monicas' grandmother also did not believe in burning off the alcohol AND furthermore, she liked to add an extra "zing" to the brew. It takes no time at all, and you can vary the quantities of the ingredients quite easily, it all depends on your sweet tooth. 

1 orange-the peel only, absolutely no pith please (a fancy word for the white stuff under the skin, it imparts bitterness)

1 lemon-the peel only, absolutely no pith again

100 gms or so caster sugar 

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 nutmeg grated

6 to 7 whole cloves
1 bottle red wine-750ml

60 ml cognac

In a pot, place the sugar, the orange and lemon peel, the cinnamon, the grated nutmeg and the cloves. 

Pour in the bottle of red wine and the cognac, and heat it ever so slightly, stir a little to make sure that all the sugar dissolves, bring it barely to a simmer, and heat through for about 25 minutes or so. 

NOTE: This version retains the alcohol, hence, we DO NOT EVER bring the wine to the boil or set it alight, just let it simmer, so that all the flavours fuse together. 

Have a taste, now if you prefer more sugar add a bit more. If you prefer more cognac, add a shot or two or... ! If you prefer it less intense, add some warm water. You should have a sweet spicy fragrance flowing through your home... is it Christmas?

Sieve the liquid and serve in heat resistant glasses. I like to use a clear glass, so that I can see the deep red wine, place some aluminum foil around the bottom half of the glass, and then tie a paper serviette around that. 

Bottoms up!